Ana Reyes was 5 when she immigrated to the United States from Spain. When she started school, she couldn’t speak or read English.
"I recall feeling confused and out of place during kindergarten when I couldn’t speak any English at all.”
Pat Harkleroad, Ana’s first-grade teacher arranged to have her come in each day before school for tutoring. Ms. Harkleroad came in an hour early every morning for a one-on-one lesson with Ana Reyes to teach her English.
"It has always been with me that a teacher came to school early every morning to help me.... I know I was incredibly lucky."
Ana did some research and found Ms. Harkleroad. They met up and Ana updated her on the last 40 years. She went on to graduate from Harvard with a law degree. In 2017, she was named the Woman Lawyer of the Year by the D.C. Women’s Bar Association.
“Being able to say thank you to someone who changed my life felt so meaningful and uplifting. I know I will never forget the day."
(Image: Getty)